SCARLETS READY FOR ULSTER TRIP

27 January 2006 11:48

By

With fourth placed Ulster leading the Stradey Park side by only three points and the Scarlets with two games in hand, Scarlets Director of Rugby Gareth Jenkins fully understands the significance of this Friday night's fixture in his teams challenge for Celtic League honours.

"This weekend's fixture is huge one for us and there's no room for an ounce of complacency in our game. We need to re-focus out of Europe and into the League. It will be a huge challenge, but a win on Friday night would take us right into the competitive end of the table".

However, with the results of all four previous encounters between the two sides having fallen to home advantage, Coach knows only too well of the difficulties that await his team on Friday night. "Away fixtures in Ireland are amongst the most difficult in the League, but in order to win the League, you need to be able to travel away and bring home a result and that's our challenge this weekend.

"We've been pleased with our form at home, our challenge now is to take that form out on the road with us. We've done it in the past and we need to do it again and a victory this weekend would make a significant statement to those currently sitting at the top end of the table - which is where our ambitions lie".

With Matthew J unavailable due to Welsh selection and Simon Easterby also on duty with Ireland, Dafydd James retains the captaincy, but skippers from centre at Ravenhill this weekend. While with Lee Byrne unavailable due to a chest infection and Mark Jones also retained in the Welsh camp ahead of next weekend's fixture at Twickenham, Tal Selley finds himself back in the mix at 14, with Garan Evans out on the opposite wing.

Gareth Bowen switches places with Mike Hercus at outside half, alongside Clive Stuart-Smith at scrum half, while with Dwayne Peel also on international duty Scarlets Academy scrum-half Liam Davies finds himself back in the 22.

In the front row, Martyn Madden switches to 3 to allow Craig Dunlea in at 1, while John Davies gets a well erned break on the bench. With Adam Jones struggling with a niggle, Inoke and Hottie pair up in the second row, with Vernon Cooper alongside Gavin Quinnell for cover from the bench. While, with both Dafydd Jones and Alix Popham returning for selection, there's no change to the back row.

Elsewhere however, there are a couple of familiar faces returning to the bench with hooker Aled Gravelle and Scarlets Academy centre Gavin Evans both returning from injury this weekend.

Merthyr secured the league and cup double on Saturday after adding the Principality Premiership title with one game to spare, just two weeks after lifting the National Cup title at Principality Stadium.

More than 50 school, college, club, social and representative teams from all over Wales enjoyed one of the best experiences of their lives over the last fortnight, playing a final or community match on the Principality Stadium pitch.

The WRU Plate final had a lot to live up to after a stunning Bowl final, but Brynmawr and Nant Conwy produced another corker. The north Walians saw their 19-7 lead evaporate as Brynmawr stormed to a 50-29 victory

Porthcawl and Pembroke served up a real thriller in the WRU Bowl final at Principality Stadium on Sunday. Pembroke trailed 27-5 before staging a remarkabe comeback but Porthcawl had the final say with an injury time penalty to earn a 33-31 victory.

Nant Conwy head coach Kevin Thomas and Ifan Jones look forward to Sunday's WRU National Plate final where they say it is a 'massive day out for the club and community' as they prepare to tackle Brynmawr at Principality Stadium

Merthyr coach Dale McIntosh and second row Craig Locke look to draw on their experiences playing in the WRU National Cup Final to help Merthyr lift the title for the first time this Sunday when they face Newport at Principality Stadium.

More than 250 members of Girlguiding Cymru recently added a Rugby Participation Badge to their collection by taking part in a fun festival at Cardiff Met. The WRU is working with Girlguiding Cymru to provide new opportunities for girls and make connections with the girls-only rugby clusters around Wales.